Pilmico Foods Corporation (Pilmico) and Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (AFI) conducted relief operations on December 30, 2022, in several barangays in Misamis Occidental and Misamis Oriental following severe flooding experienced in the areas. 

Last December 25, 2022, on Christmas Day, the shear line caused rainstorms in the southern regions of the Philippines, leading to flooding and landslides in several areas in Northern Mindanao.

Pilmico and AFI extended assistance to 850 families in Oroquieta City and Municipalities of Aloran and Jimenez in Misamis Occidental, Gingoog City, and Municipality of Medina in Misamis Oriental.  

Pilmico’s Sales team led the distribution of relief goods to several areas where each family received 5 kilograms of rice and two bottles of 6-liter mineral water.

“Ang amoang barangay totally  hurot jud tanan ang mga balay dri tungod sa baha. Pero nagpa salamat gihapon mi sa Ginoo bisan pa sa trahedya na nahitabo, walay kinabuhe na nawala. Salamat gyud kaayo sa Pilmico, sa Aboitiz company, sa ilang tabang, sa bugas ug sa tubig. Dako na gyud kaayo ni nga tabang dri sa amoa sa barangay, labi na gyud sa mga katawhan dri sa barangay dri sa Palayan, gumikan kay kinahanglan gyud kaayo namo ni nga tabang. Daghan kaayong salamat Pilmico and Aboitiz company. 

[Our barangay is totally destroyed because of the flood. But we still thank God despite the tragedy that happened, no life was lost. Thank you very much to Pilmico, the Aboitiz company, for their help, the rice and the water. This is really a big help for us in the barangay, especially for the people of the barangay in Palayan, because we really need this help. Thank you very much Pilmico and Aboitiz company.],” he said. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What does immediate relief action during disasters reflect about Pilmico’s CSR model?
Pilmico’s disaster relief responses demonstrate a CSR model that activates through its existing logistics, supply chain, and community networks rather than building separate structures for charitable giving. By using its distribution capabilities and community relationships to deliver food in emergencies, Pilmico converts its core operational infrastructure into a rapid-response community asset. This approach means relief can reach affected communities faster and more efficiently than through a company with no pre-existing presence in the area.

What triggered Pilmico’s relief response in Misamis Occidental and Misamis Oriental?
Severe flooding caused by continuous heavy rains devastated communities in Misamis Occidental and Misamis Oriental in Northern Mindanao, destroying homes and displacing families. Pilmico, which operates flour and feeds facilities in the region, mobilized relief assistance in direct response to the disaster — consistent with its practice of acting as a community anchor in its areas of operation during emergencies, rather than waiting for formalized aid channels to activate.

What relief goods did Pilmico distribute and to which communities?
Pilmico distributed food packs consisting of essential provisions to affected families in flood-stricken barangays across Misamis Occidental and Misamis Oriental. The distributions were coordinated with local government units in the affected areas, ensuring that goods reached the most severely impacted communities. Pilmico’s presence in both provinces through its operations in the region gave the company direct network access to community leaders and local coordination structures.

How does this relief effort fit within the pattern of Pilmico’s disaster response history?
Pilmico has consistently mobilized relief and livelihood assistance following natural disasters that affect communities in its areas of operation — from Typhoon Sendong in Iligan in 2011, to Typhoon Yolanda in the Visayas in 2013, to the Marawi conflict in 2017, and Typhoon Odette in Cebu and Bohol in 2021. The Misamis response continues this pattern: a food company with deep community roots responding immediately to the communities that surround and depend on its operations.

Why are Misamis Occidental and Misamis Oriental particularly significant communities for Pilmico?
Pilmico’s Iligan City flour mill — one of its two primary milling operations in the Philippines — is located in Lanao del Norte, which borders Misamis Occidental and Misamis Oriental in the Northern Mindanao region. This geographic proximity means that the flood-affected communities include Pilmico’s own workforce, partner businesses, and neighboring communities that have longstanding relationships with the company. Relief action in these areas is as much a community obligation as a corporate one.